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Firmino started playing for Figueirense in 2009 in Serie B.[1] He made his debut against Ponte Preta.[1] In that match, he came as a 46th minute substitute for Toninho.[2] He further played a match against São Caetano.[1] In the following season, he played 36 times and also scored 8 goals as his side won promotion to Serie A.[1] He would open his scoring against São Caetano, and would score goals in consecutive matches against Bahia, Icasa, and the last goal was scored against Paraná.[1]

Firmino moved from Figueirense to 1899 Hoffenheim in December 2010, signing a contract until June 2015.[3] He formally signed for Hoffenheim on 1 January 2011.[4] He signed a contract till June 2015. The then Hoffenheim manager Ernst Tanner commented that they were "pleased to hire a Brazilian talent".[5] He was dropped from the first-team squad in November 2011 for showing up late for training.[6] His first involvement with the club was being an unused substitute against Bayern Munich.[1] He finally made his debut in a defeat against FSV Mainz 05[1] where he would come on as a 75th minute substitute for Sebastian Rudy.[7] However, he had to wait until 16 April to score his first goal, when he scored the only goal in a victory against Eintracht Frankfurt.[8] He would further go on scoring two more goals in that season in consecutive matches against 1. FC Nürnberg and VfL Wolfsburg.[1]

Firmino kicked off the 2011–12 season by starting in a 2–1 defeat against Hannover 96.[9] He started scoring goals in that season against SV Werder Bremen, also scored in the following match against FSV Mainz 05, and also scored a brace against VfL Wolfsburg.[1] His goal scoring form continued as he again scored a goal, this time finding the net in a draw against SC Freiburg.[10] However in the DFB-Pokal, though he played three times, he failed to open his account.[1]

The 2013–14 season, proved to be his most successful season, as he became a goalmachine scoring regularly. He started the season by scoring a brace against third tier club SG Aumund-Vegesack in a DFB-Pokal match which Hoffenheim would win 9–0.[14] In the second match of Bundesliga, he would again score twice and give three assists against Hamburger SV in a 5–1 victory.[15] He said that it was his " best game of the season". The team captain Andreas Beck hailed Firmino's development as "outstanding".[16] His goalscoring form would continue, as he would again score against VfB Stuttgart, Energie Cottbus and Schalke 04 in successive matches.[1] He would again score a brace in the league against Hannover 96.[17] On 27 March 2014, Firmino extended his contract with the club, signing a three-year contract extension.[18] He finished the 2013–14 Bundesliga season tied as the fourth highest scorer with 16 goals and tied as the second highest assister with 12 assists in the league.[19] He was then linked to a move away from his club to Premier League club Chelsea.[20] But later he squashed such rumours.[21]

Firmino played his first game of the 2014–15 season against FC Augsburg.[1] In the next match only against Werder Bremen, he would find the net.[1] He scored twice in a match against FSV Frankfurt in a DFB-Pokal match.[22] He scored his fourth Bundesliga brace agaist 1.FC Köln, in a "seven goal thriller".[23] He would again find the net and became "the hero" when he scored a last minute goal against Eintracht Frankfurt, as Hoffenheim won the match 3–2.[24] In March 2015, it was again reported that Hoffenheim would sell Firmino for a transfer fee of € 30 million.[25]

After scoring 16 goals in the Bundesliga, Firmino said that it was his "dream" to play in the national team though he had no "contact with Dunga".[26] On 23 October 2014, Firmino received his first call up to Brazil national football team for the friendly matches against Turkey and Austria. He commented "I'm very happy about the nomination and would especially like to thank the team".[27] He debuted in a 4–0 win over Turkey on 12 November, replacing fellow debutant Luiz Adriano for the last 17 minutes.[28] Firmino scored his first goal on 18 November 2014 in a 2–1 away friendly win over Austria.[29] In March 2015, he was again called up to the national team for friendly matches against France and Chile.[30]Goal.com reported that he was expected to "start" in the match against France.[31] He did so, only to be replaced by Luiz Adriano in the 88th minute.[32] In the second friendly against Chile at London's Emirates Stadium, he scored the only goal of the game in the 73rd minute.[33]